Yi to the Wizards for Ross

[BruceO]

I'm amazed at how much people are bitching and complaining in here. What did you want to happen? If you actually have been following Ted's comments about OKC you'd see this is a totally natural move. Just like a move to get Beasley or Darko next would be a totally natural move. You guys are going around going EG is incompetent blah blah blah, but common. Look what OKC have. They have Westbrook a top five pick, James Harden top five also, Jeff Green and Durant also who are top five. As a young team with those picks close in age they managed to climb up quickly without the need of Vets like memphis. They were a 50 year team quite soon after being a lottery team. What we are doing here is we are getting as many young players as possible who have potential to be good. We will grow them together till they have value. When they have value perhaps they are tradeable or become assets to the organization.

I came here expecting people to be happy considering we just added a former 6th pick in the draft who was sought after for quinton ross who we wanted to move anyway. Any posting of lineups next year with Yi in it and how meh it is, have you considered if the lineup was posted with Q ross, would it be better? I don't know what you expect out of a young player like Yi, 22 years old ( yes he does look it) and he averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds. Here are his game logs, go through them and remember we got him for Quinton Ross.
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/yi_jianli ... stats.html

so you tell me, who else would you suggest us using our cap space on since everyone is so peeved about this. We might have even gotten money back. I am hearing the guy is a terrible rebounder in some of the posts. If this is so it is fixable. Among the trio of Yi, Blatche and Bargagni he was the best rebounder. He even had games where he got over 15 rebounds. The scrub that he is got 19 rebounds against our wizards team. He is 22. I think that is a truer sign of things to come. I will not defend his true shooting percentage but i will say this. For someone as skilled as he is I think his true shooting percentage came improve if he is utilized correctly. Someone posted and said one season he was being made to post, another he took people off the dribble. Just like Blatche I think he needs to be focused. There are games where he scores pretty efficiently. HE also gets to the line far more than Blatche and Bargagni and shoots a higher FT percentage and is probably a better shooter than most PF's. SO i think his field goal is improveable. HE is 22 and there is still plenty of time to make it click. I think he has been expected to be good too young. The one thing i can't defend is his defense, that will need plenty of work. But, if he can be taught defense and utlized properly, this guy will be here longer than one year. Give the kid a chance and think more about how he can be improved.

EG is achieving that plan that he was set upon and they are focusing fully on that. He is doing a good job and it's time we trust him. They are the proffesionals. People here know nothing compared to them so please lets not pretend we could do a better job.

[verbal8]

Ladies and gentlemen, your list of bigmen, 6'10 to 7'1, who have posted cumulative PER's below 12.5 and TS% below 50% through their first three pro seasons: http (Yi's are 11.5 and .480 respectively): http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... i?id=C8hnq

At least he's a terrible defender too!

I can one-up you.

Here is the list of guys 6-8 or taller, in the shot clock era, who have managed to play at least 25 minutes a game while posting a FG% less than 41% and a rebound rate less than 8 rebounds per 36 minutes:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... i?id=8VAXV

Ease up the criteria and a familiar name appears:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/tiny.cgi?id=rTLTh

[Zonkerbl]

Huh. So he's getting in Jianlian what he was hoping to get in Pecherov? Yeesh.

[Hoopalotta]

Oh. Yeah. Did everyone forget that we are REBUILDING? Why would any top free agents want to sign here? I don't know how many really good established players want to play for a losing team.

Definitely if the whole "marketing of John Wall's rookie year in China" angle works out, it could create a nice revenue stream long term.

But basically, I think everyone hates it because Yi is so soft.

The Jersey Nyets fans were absolutely ecstatic that he's going.

[WizKit]

Oh. Yeah. Did everyone forget that we are REBUILDING? Why would any top free agents want to sign here? I don't know how many really good established players want to play for a losing team.

Definitely if the whole "marketing of John Wall's rookie year in China" angle works out, it could create a nice revenue stream long term.

But basically, I think everyone hates it because Yi is so soft.

The Jersey Nyets fans were absolutely ecstatic that he's going.

I do agree with you. Yi is soft but we could use a good shooter on the team. We got some beef and bangers in the draft. We are not going to get Lebron, Joe J, DWade, Amare, Dirk, RGay or any of the top 120 players for Q. Ross. Everyone needs to relax..........Only thing we have worth anything is John Wall, future picks and cap space, which would you give up to improve your team?

[sashae]

But Wait There's More!

Look when there's a chance to get the Chinese Chris Mihm for Quinton Ross you can't pass it up.

[cdouglas]

I'm amazed at how much people are bitching and complaining in here. What did you want to happen? If you actually have been following Ted's comments about OKC you'd see this is a totally natural move. Just like a move to get Beasley or Darko next would be a totally natural move. You guys are going around going EG is incompetent blah blah blah, but common. Look what OKC have. They have Westbrook a top five pick, James Harden top five also, Jeff Green and Durant also who are top five. As a young team with those picks close in age they managed to climb up quickly without the need of Vets like memphis. They were a 50 year team quite soon after being a lottery team. What we are doing here is we are getting as many young players as possible who have potential to be good. We will grow them together till they have value. When they have value perhaps they are tradeable or become assets to the organization.

I came here expecting people to be happy considering we just added a former 6th pick in the draft who was sought after for quinton ross who we wanted to move anyway. Any posting of lineups next year with Yi in it and how meh it is, have you considered if the lineup was posted with Q ross, would it be better? I don't know what you expect out of a young player like Yi, 22 years old ( yes he does look it) and he averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds. Here are his game logs, go through them and remember we got him for Quinton Ross.
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/yi_jianli ... stats.html

so you tell me, who else would you suggest us using our cap space on since everyone is so peeved about this. We might have even gotten money back. I am hearing the guy is a terrible rebounder in some of the posts. If this is so it is fixable. Among the trio of Yi, Blatche and Bargagni he was the best rebounder. He even had games where he got over 15 rebounds. The scrub that he is got 19 rebounds against our wizards team. He is 22. I think that is a truer sign of things to come. I will not defend his true shooting percentage but i will say this. For someone as skilled as he is I think his true shooting percentage came improve if he is utilized correctly. Someone posted and said one season he was being made to post, another he took people off the dribble. Just like Blatche I think he needs to be focused. There are games where he scores pretty efficiently. HE also gets to the line far more than Blatche and Bargagni and shoots a higher FT percentage and is probably a better shooter than most PF's. SO i think his field goal is improveable. HE is 22 and there is still plenty of time to make it click. I think he has been expected to be good too young. The one thing i can't defend is his defense, that will need plenty of work. But, if he can be taught defense and utlized properly, this guy will be here longer than one year. Give the kid a chance and think more about how he can be improved.

EG is achieving that plan that he was set upon and they are focusing fully on that. He is doing a good job and it's time we trust him. They are the proffesionals. People here know nothing compared to them so please lets not pretend we could do a better job.

I think most of the fans on this board wants this Wizards to be contenders in the playoffs next season. It's possible that the Wiz could make the playoffs but I'm just satisfy with this being a new team. I think Beasley would flourish here and think playing alongside Wade was too much for the guy. He needs time and the Heat doesn't have the patience on waiting because with Wade on the team, they want to contend now.

[sashae]

I'm happy not being a contender next year -- in fact, I'm steeling myself to expect just that. However, I really, REALLY don't want to be the proverbial Love Canal for every barrel of toxic player other GMs want to dump. At least make our badness... watchable. Yi Jianlian is a 7' car accident, a tornado of suck tearing across the Meadowlands, an extended metaphor that refuses to end... Quinton Ross was... well, he was terrible, too, but in a "harmless, who-was-that-guy" kinda way that'll end up on Wizznutzz's list of classic players from years past like Ashraf Amaya and that-guy-Gil-was-friends-with-that-punched-someone-while-in-the-D-league.

[Kanyewest]

i dunno what the crying is all about. Ross aint exactly Kobe 2. and Yi comes off the books next season. plus Wall get extra media mileage internationally.

I think people would rather have nothing than Yi. Did the Wizards save any money with this move?

[Ji]

if its any consolation, scouts thought highly enough of this guy to take him over Noah,Stuckey,Thaddues Young,Big Baby,Landry,Marc Gasol and the great Morris Almond

[Ji]

NBA Comparison: Pau Gasol
Matthew Maurer - 12/4/2006
Strengths: Good ball handler who has no problem taking opposing defenders off the dribble Great finisher around the basket as he is capable of making some impressive dunks on the break Fundamentally sound player with a decent basketball IQ and court awareness Rarely does Jianlian force the issue, instead he lets the game come to him Unlike many players his size, he is a great free throw shooter Runs the floor especially well considering his size His perimeter shooting is very impressive as he can stretch the defense out to 18-20 feet comfortably While he doesnt own many back to the basket moves, Jianlian possesses a consistent turnaround jumper in the post Does a great job of using his long body and athleticism to make an impact on the boards Passes out of double teams well due to his court vision and awareness Excels in an open court offense that promotes fast breaks thanks to his mobility and leaping ability Rarely gets intimidated when physical play occurs Although he has been on the NBA draft radar for quite some time, and may be a few years older than his listed age, he appears to still have considerable upside Defensively he is a solid help defender due to his lateral quickness and wingspan Possesses quick hands that can disrupt passing lanes

Weaknesses: There is some concern as to what position he will play in the NBA: He lacks the upper body strength and the back to the basket moves at power forward and is a bit long and rangy for the three Needs to improve his three point shooting to play minutes to be effective at SF Despite his vast improvement, Jianlian needs to continue to develop his upper body strength At this point of his career, hes more comfortable facing the basket than with his back to the basket Although he doesnt shy away from physical contact he can get disrupted with rough post play Struggles to maintain his position in the low post as opposing defenders tend to push him out Defensively he will not be the huge shot blocking presence that he is in the China, due to his timing and the speed of the NBA game Has a habit of putting the ball on the floor to achieve rhythm instead of keeping the ball high away from opposing guards Confidence can wavier in games when hes struggling to score Although listed as being born in 1987 many within China place him between 1984-1985 Doesnt always play defensive with great intensity, he wont be able to get away with it in the NBA
Aran Smith - 7/7/2006
Strengths: The next big prospect from China after Yao Ming A 7 footer with the agility and coordination of a much smaller player, plus explosiveness rarely found in Asian players Has an American style of game, very quick and athletic Loves the transition game and gets a lot of highlight dunks In the CBA, Yi has made a solid transition from prospect to star player becoming the MVP of his CBA champion Guangdong Tigers team Smart player, makes good decisions showing improvement on the offensive end of the floor ... Can face the basket from 12-15 feet and get by bigger players off the dribble as well as knock down shots out to 18 feet with consistency ... Has good shooting mechanics and overall fundamentals Seems to have modeled his fadeaway jumpshot after Dirk Nowitzki, and though it's not as accurate, it is extremely tough to defend Has good touch around the basket and shows good creativity on the drive Plays with solid aggressiveness, competitive player with a high level of energy and intensity ... Grabs rebounds well using his leaping ability Solid defensively as a shot blocker, with good timing and possesses good lateral quickness Has a fiery side(unlike Yao), if he gets elbowed he will get payback. But by no means is he a hothead or looking for trouble, he's just a competitior

Weaknesses: He's a tweener, but a "good tweener" Doesn't fit a position perfectly as he's more of a finesse player and too big to play the 3 position, but his combination of size and versatility makes him a very intriguing At times can be too laid back on the floor, so raising his intensity level is important Has good shooting mechanics but has a slow release Could become a good shooter but probably never a great shooter His hands are a little weak, making it easier for opponents to poke the ball away (Yao Ming has the same problem) Needs to continue to gain upper body and arm strength, without losing any quickness If he adds additional strength, he will be able to fight for rebounds better He has no problems now, but it will be an adjustment to the speed and strength of the NBA Also like Yao the adjustment to a much longer season will take time The general consensus in China is that he is actually born in 1984 or 1985, meaning he wouldn't enter the NBA until he's actually 25 years of age if he stays in China until his 1987 draft year His game has matured to where he needs better competition to push him. He is a superior athlete in China, and lacks a great competition level, so his game is deteriorating to an extent staying in China in such crucial development years

Notes: Averaged: 20.5 PPG, 57.41 FG %, 75.08 FT%, 9.6 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 1.2 APG, 2.0 SPG in the 2005-06 season. Flirted with the idea of declaring for the NBA draft, but chose to stay with his Guangdong Tigers team and Chinese Olympic team. Has proven himself against American players in junior competitions (playing well at the ABCD camp in New Jersey) Did not perform well at the 2005 Hoops Summit game

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Expirings only help if we take back longer term salary. This eats badly in our ability to be flexible. Can someone locate Dat and CCJ? I worry one is on a ledge and the other is loading up a truck with fertilizer...

I'm totally bleh at this point. My only surprise in this is that EG picked Yi over Beasley. I'm tired of screaming at the top of my lungs. The only thing I'm wondering about now is how long does it take for Teddy to realize that he needs to make a change?

fisher, I'm also totally indifferent to this move. Nothing Ernie could do would shock me.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Which is why we're upset. Yi sucks! I'll say it again: Yi Sucks!. He is a worthless basketball player.

Okay nate, we get it...he sucks. However, he'll contribute far more than Ross was going to do and it's a one year rental. Most of you are saying that you weren't expecting much in terms of moves this year, but the fact that you are harping on this aspect proves that we are getting a little bit caught up in the "Free Agency 2010!!!" hype....which we weren't going to be major players in anyway.

I also pegged you as a reasonably intelligent cat. How do you continue to miss the point here?

He's this season's Oberto. Def not worth the money. Good kid.

Team's gonna suck. No big deal, I guess.

[NbdyBeatsTheWiz]

He's this season's Oberto. Def not worth the money. Good kid.

Team's gonna suck. No big deal, I guess.

Apt comparison in my mind. The circumstances are different but I too don't see him putting us over the top or hurting us. I just hope he doesn't get burn over Seraphin (if he comes over) and Booker simply because of his "experience" or the Chinese connection.

Count me in the "I don't care," but I think the chances of him helping us (i.e. actually putting a decent season together) are far better than him hurting us (i.e. there were better deals out there to be had... or him having any less an effect than Ross)

[kavu]

Chris Bosh has told the media he is no longer considering the Wizards since he would be fighting Yi for playing time. This likely is going impact our chances at getting Lebron.

C'mon folks! Wake up and smell the coffee. At this point we are just not going to be competitive for reasonable free agents....better yi than darko...

[pcbothwel]

I think people just have a tendency to over analyze everything. Yi cost us ABSOLUTELY NOTHING except a hypethetical trade at mid season for cap space (even though we still have plenty of cap room). He will create interest in our new foundation overseas while providing the finesse game that our other additions (Hinrich, Booker, Seraphin, Ndiaye) do not. Ted probably said:
- dont add salary in future
- create a buzz/fun team to watch
- dont add poor character guys
- dont trade future assets (young players or picks)
EG has mostly done this. Just watch these guys mature and allow Ted and his group analyze the decisons, Ernie will probably be gone if the picks or trades dont look good and we have a Wall, Arenas, Blatche, McGee team next year with a Hinrich 8 mil expiring deal. Any promising GM would kill for a foundation like that (Pritchard?).
Also, with all the teams planning for 2010 cap space, we will be in a position of power next year as more teams will be up against the cap and the cap will surely fall. The lux tax is also been rumored to DOUBLE to $2 for every $1 over the tax.
Just because the Summer of 2010 will be great for 2-3 teams, it will be bad for 4-6.

Celtics: Rondo is promising, Perkins is Solid, Garnett is vastly overpaid the next 2 years.
Knicks: TBA competing for FA.
Nets: TBA competing for FA. atleast 2-3 years from move to Brooklyn.
76ers: Turner is talented, but not a superstar, AI and Brand hurt future Cap. 6-8 seed
Raptors: Turk & Calderon, no Bosk, enough said
Hawks: No money, losing JJ, 2nd rate team locked into Marvin Williams and J-Smith. 7-8 seed
Magic: Very talented team with 24 y/o center. But are locked into numerous deals(shard, bass, etc.)
Bobcats: Overacheivers with no go-to player and no clear direction.
Heat: Along with Bulls, only team that worries me, but FA TBA
Bulls: Rose looks real good, Noah plays energy D, i think they'll get JJ and Bosh.
Cavs: LOL, about 2-3 years of getting out of contracts.
Pistons: Poor FA signings have hurt cap bad. (Hamilton, Gordon, Charlie V.)
Pacers: Granger?, im not worried, no pg as of yet.
Bucks:4-7 seed with some Defensive moxie and playmaking jennings, but they need scoring wing.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I'm happy not being a contender next year -- in fact, I'm steeling myself to expect just that. However, I really, REALLY don't want to be the proverbial Love Canal for every barrel of toxic player other GMs want to dump. At least make our badness... watchable. Yi Jianlian is a 7' car accident, a tornado of suck tearing across the Meadowlands, an extended metaphor that refuses to end... Quinton Ross was... well, he was terrible, too, but in a "harmless, who-was-that-guy" kinda way that'll end up on Wizznutzz's list of classic players from years past like Ashraf Amaya and that-guy-Gil-was-friends-with-that-punched-someone-while-in-the-D-league.

And who was also charged in some misdemeanor dispute with a police officer during a traffic stop in Miami ... Awvee Storee.

Love Canal/toxic players, that's good sashae. EG is perhaps working on a Gil for Monte Ellis deal in case the Carter deal doesn't happen. Steve Francis and Steph Marbury left the league too soon, or else they'd be Grunfeld trade targets, most likely.

[sashae]

Brutal scouting report from Nets Are Scorching.

Now let’s compare Yi to the league’s power forwards. His Player Efficiency Rating of 10.98, was good for 64th out of 77 power forwards who played at least 500 minutes, according to ESPN’s John Hollinger. Remember, 15 is league average. His True Shooting percentage, which accounts for three-pointers and free throws, of .474, was good for 71st for his position. Yi’s Value Added, the estimated number of points a player brings to his team over a replacement player, was not pretty at all. He was worth -11 points over a replacement player.

[301baller]

I have a crazy theory - this move could be VERY temporary. If dwight howard oks the trade, we'd possibly be sending Yi and Gil to the magic for Vinsanity and Marcin Gortat. (that's assuming they can't get Brad Miller) If that's the case, i LOVE this move. we get a SG and a skilled starting C so the starting lineup could be

Wall
Vinsanity
Thornton
Blatche
Gortat

That actually would be a fun lineup to watch with Hinrich, Young, Booker, Seraphin and McGee coming off the bench. We'd be a low budget version of the celtics. Fast backup, with a front court that'll foul your ass, block your shot or both

[spankymagee]

Obviously you guys don't remember Yi's dominance in pre-draft workouts against multiple folding chairs. We got a steal.